Christianity  and  the  State, 


^   SEr^MOTV, 


¥*reached    in    the    "College    Plall," 


DKC.  38,    1H73. 


WM@M^&  M»   MMI^J^MMr 


Pastor  of  the   Second    Presbyterian    Church,  of  Cincinnati,   Ohio 


%  HIBHAfiY  Of  PRINCETON  SSf  * 


—mtt'm 


THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


CINCINNATI: 

Elm  Stuket  Printing  Company,  176  &  173  Klm  Strk.i'.t. 
1873. 


BV631  .S512  1873 

Skinner,  Thomas  H.  (Thomas 

Harvey),  1791-1871. 

Christianity  and  the  state 

a 

sermon  preached  in  the 

"College  Hall,"  Dec.  28, 

1873. 


Christianity  and  the  State. 


A.  SER^MCOIV. 


"Preaclied    in    the    "College    Hall, 


DEC.  28,   1873. 


Pastor  of  the  Second   Presbyterian   Church,   of  Cincinnati,   Ohio. 


CINCINNATI: 

Elm  Stkebt  Printing  Company,  17G  &  178  Elm  Strekt. 
1873. 


Cincinnati,  December  29,  1873. 
Rev.  Thomas  H.  Skinner,  D.  D. 
Deal'  Sir: — 

With  feelings  and  convictions  similar  to 
those  we  expressed  to  you  in  our  request  for  a  copy  of  your  sermon 
on  Christianity  and  Sectarianism,  we  would  earnestly  ask  that  the 
discourse  you  preached  yesterday  morning,  on  Christianity  and  the 
State,  may  be  placed  at  our  disposal  for  publication. 
Very  truly  yours, 

John  Shillito, 
George  Wilshire, 
S.  J.  Broadwell, 
Hugh  McBirney, 
Richard  Smith, 
Wm.  H  Neff. 


Messrs.  John  Shillito,  Geo.  Wilshire,  and  others. 
Gentlemen  : — 

Assured  by  your  confidence  and 
good  opinion,  I  cheerfully  comply  with  your  request. 

Very  respectfully  yours. 

THOMAS  H.  SKINNER. 
Cincinnati,  Decemher  30,  1873. 


Happtj  is  that  people,  that  is  in  such  a  case :  gea, 

happtj  is  that  people,  whose  Sod  is  the 

Jaord.      Fsaim  cxliu.   l^. 


I  HAVE  a  large  theme  and  a  limited  time.  I  must  omit 
many  things,  and  condense  much,  and  forego  illustrations 
that  would  give  interest  and  emphasis  to  my  subject ;  and 
even  as  it  is,  I  am  afraid  I  shall  greatly  weary  your  pa- 
tience. 

I  am  to  speak  to-day  of  Christianity  and  the  State,  their 
inter-relations,  and  inter-dependencies,  and  mutual  obli- 
gations. Our  subject  is  not  the  Church  and  the  State. 
Call  to  mind  what  was  said  in  my  former  discourse  con- 
cerning the  Church,  and  you  will  readily  perceive  the 
difference.  There  is  one  visible  Catholic  Church  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  consisting  of  all  those  who  throughout 
the  world  profess  the  true  religion.  Now,  of  course,  the 
relations  of  this  widespread,  universal  Church  to  the 
State  of  Ohio,  for  example,  are  not  before  us.  No  nation, 
no  State,  can  have  any  formal  dealings  with  this  vast  body. 
Her  Head  and  King  is  on  high,  and  has  instituted  no 
medium  of  intercourse  with  the  "  powers  tiiat  be  "  in  the 
world. 

Then  there  are  the  particular  churches  or  denominations 
that  compose  this  Catholic  Church.  In  our  land  we  have 
established,  as  a  vital    principle  of   the  organic  national 


law,  the  separation  of  the  State  from  them  all.  Each  and 
every  denomination  is  left,  in  its  distinctiveness,  to  pro- 
mote and  extend  its  own  influence.  The  State  can  take 
no  part  in  this  work.  The  State  can  not  patronize  or  sup- 
port any  branch  of  the  Church  universal,  that  may  be 
found  within  its  borders.  This  is,  we  trust,  the  settled  and 
unchangeable  policy  of  our  nation.  For  while  these  de- 
nominations all  agree  in  the  common  Christianity,  and 
thus  are  vital  members  of  the  one.  great  Church  and  king- 
dom of  God,  they  each  hold  to  their  own  special  methods 
and  modes  of  internal  government,  arrangements,  and 
worship,  and  in  many  cases  to  some  divergent  though  un- 
essential doctrines.  They  have  different  terms  of  church 
fellowship,  different  views  of  ministerial  qualifications. 
A.nd,  owing  to  the  infirmities  of  human  nature,  it  has  come 
to  pass  that  these  distinguishing  peculiarities  are  held  to 
be  so  important  that  assumptions  of  superiority,  rivalries, 
and  jealousies  exist,  and  make  it  not  only  inexpedient, 
but  impossible,  for  the  State  to  interpose,  with  safety  to 
itself,  and  decide  these  difi"erences  in  favor  of  one  against 
the  rest.  As  of  old,  Ephraim  envied  Judah  and  Judah 
vexed  Ephraim.  So  it  is  now.  None  are  perfect.  All 
have  errors  and  mistakes  in  difi'ering  degrees.  The  larger 
and  stronger  denominations  often  have  an  undue  spirit  of 
self-assertion,  and  do  not  behave  themselves  with  true 
catholicity  toward  the  weaker  and  smaller. 

These  imperfect  denominations,  made  up  of  imperfect 
Christians,  are  all,  notwithstanding  their  defects,  aiming  at 
the  same  blessed  end,  the  salvation  and  renovation  of  the 
world;  they  all  preach  the  same  gospel;  they  are  all  pro- 
moting the  common  Christianity.  Little  by  little  they  will 
purge   off   the  baser  metal,  as,  blessed  be  God,  they  are 


gradually  doing.  And  wliile^they  are~dra\ving  nearer  to 
each  other  because  they  are  ^drawing  nearer  to  Christ,  the 
common,  life-giving,  world-renewing  Christianity  is,  by  the 
separation  of  the  State  from  its  denominations,  left  free  to 
assert  itself  as  never  before  in  human  history.  It  is  the 
supreme  advantage  of  Christianity  among  us  that  she  pre- 
sents herself  to  the  State  in  her  own  majesty,  and  beauty, 
and  fair  proportions  ;  not  as  seen  in  the  varying  and  diver- 
gent aspects  of  the  denomination;  not  as  Episcopacy  or 
Lutheranism  ;  not  as  Presbyterianism  or  Romanism;  not  as 
Methodism  or  Quakerism,  may  present  her  through  tiie 
medium  of  their  peculiarities,  but  as  she  shines  in  her  na- 
tive luster,  clear  as  the  sun,  fair  as  the  moon,  comely  as 
Jerusalem,  beautiful  as  Tirzah,  the  common  center,  light, 
and  life  of  all  the  individual  churches.  Would  to  God  that 
civil  authority  would  open  its  eyes  to  the  bright  vision! 

It  is  this  undenominational,  cosmopolitan,^  divine  relig- 
ion that,  though  much  obscured  and  misrepresented,  has 
been  working  its  way  in  the  world  for  eighteen  centuries, 
until  she  has  become,  faG'ile  princeps  the  leader  in  civili- 
zation, culture,  education,  morality,^  humanity,  "philan- 
thropy. Christianity,  sectarian,  bigoted,  limited  !  As  I 
said  on  a  previous  occasion,nothing  is  so  expansive,  so  far- 
reaching,  so  wisely  conservative,  so  generous,  so  high- 
minded,  so  full  of  charity. ^^ It Js^Heaven's  mercy  to  a  lost 
world.  Its  commission  is,  "  Go  ye  into^all_[the^world  and 
preach  my  gospel  to  every  creature."  Its  purpose  and 
promise  are  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  in^which^right- 
eousness  shall  flourish  universally.  It  aims  and  seeks, 
with  all  its  powers,  to  infuse  its 'benignant  spirit  into  all 
the  forms  of  human  life,  the  State,  society,  business,  the 
family,  the  innermost  recesses  of  the  soul.     The  denomin- 


—  6  — 

ations  that  profess  it  are  to  be  more  and  more  unified  and 
13urified,  till  they  all  see,  eye  to  eye,  and  the  State  will  be 
in  full  harmony  with  the  perfected  Church,  they  being  one 
in  spirit,  one  in  purpose,  one  in  extent;  the  Church,  through 
Christianity,  having  brought  kings  to  be  her  nursing  fathers, 
and  queens  her  nursing  mothers;  and  the  nations  of  them 
that  are  saved  shall  bring  their  glory  and  their  honor  unto 
her.  Such  is  the  issue,  the  eventual  consummation  toward 
which  things  are  slowly,  but  surely,  advancing,  and  for 
this  every  loyal  disciple  of  Christ  will  hope,  and  pray,  and 
labor,  and  consecrate  all  his  energies. 

And  this  brings  us  to  our  main  subject:  What  has  the 
State  to  do  with  Christianity,  and  what  has  Christianity  to 
do  with  the  State  ? 

According  to  the  Christian  religion  the  State  is  not  an  arti- 
ficial iabric  of  human  formation,  but  is  a  divine  institution 
under  the  special  and  constant  control  of  the  providence 
of  God,  How  strong  and  significant  is  its  language:  "Let 
every  soul  be  subject  to  the  higher  powers.  For  there  is 
no  power  but  of  God  :  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of 
God.  Whosoever,  therefore,  resisteth  the  power  resisteth 
the  ordinance  of  God;  and  they  that  resist  shall  receive 
unto  themselves  damnation.  For  rulers  are  not  a  terror  to 
good  works,  but  to  the  evil.  They  are  the  ministers 
of  God  for  good  to  the  obedient,  but  revengers  to  execute 
wrath  upon  them  that  do  evil." 

All  the  sanctions  of  Christianity  gather  about  the  State. 
Whatever  its  form — imperial,  monarchical,  republican — 
obedience  thereto,  whenever  it  does  not  conflict  wifh  the 
law  of  Cod;  honor  to  kings,  governors,  magistrates,  has 
been  for  eighteen  hundred  years  the  solemn  teaching  and 
enforcement  of  Christianity    on    the  consciences  of  men. 


In   this   respect   the   State   owes   an  incalcuhxble  debt    of 
gratitude^  if  nothing  more,  to  our  religion. 

Then,  (lie  historic  connection  of  Christianity  with  the 
State  is  close  and  vital.  The  States  of  Christendom,  and 
pre-eminently  the  United  States,  are  not,  so  to  speak,  in  a 
state  of  nature.  The  American  nation  has  sprung  from 
Christendom — her  latest  born,  strongest  child.  The  fibers 
of  her  life  twine,  not  about  atheism,  or  rationalism,  or 
natural  religion,  but  about  distinct,  historic  Christianity. 
An  enormous  influence,  gathered  from  the  past  ages  of  our 
advancing  religion,  has  been  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
foundations,  the  springs  and  sources  of  our  national  life. 
Constitution,  laws,  regulations,  civic  customs,  judicial  pro- 
cesses, have  been,  if  not  created,  inspired  and  toned  by 
the  religion  of  the  Crucified  One.  It  has  broken  up  the 
morality,  or,  rather,  the  immorality,  of  ancient  jurispru- 
dence. Greece  and  Rome,  tolerated,  and  even  legalized, 
practices  that  could  not  be  named  in  America.  To  Chris- 
tianity is  due,  and  to  nothing  else,  the  amelioration,  ele- 
vation, and  widespread  influence  of  woman.  To  Christi- 
anity is  due  the  love  and  sacredness  and  elementary  care  of 
little  children,  who  have  been  neglected  by  all  unchristian 
States,  degraded,  as  a  class,  exposed  by  myriads,  and,  some- 
times, murdered  by  wholesale.  The  words  of  her  King, 
"  Sufier  the  little  ones  to  come  unto  me,"  have  ennobled  and 
blessed  them.  Marriage  is  sanctified  by  her  as  by  no  re- 
ligion, no  State  in  history.  She  has  given  a  day  of  rest  to 
the  people,  a  day  of  worship  to  the  pious.  She  has  broken 
the  bonds  of  the  captive  and  the  slave.  She  has  opened 
the  prison  doors  of  the  innocent  victims  of  arbitrary  pow- 
er. She  has  revolutionized  the  penal  codes  of  the  nations, 
and  throughout  our   land  has  substituted    minor  punish- 


—  8  — 

ments  for  that  of  death,  in  the  cases  of  scores  of  offenses. 
By  the  doctrine  of  the  unity  in  one  blood  of  the  race,  by 
the  sacrifice  of  Calvary  for  each  and  every  human  being, 
by  the  fraternity  of  the  Son  of  God  with  the  sons  of  men, 
she  has  given  a  name  and  a  worth,  a  right  and  opportu- 
nity to  the  lowest  and  loftiest  of  the  species,  never  dreamt 
of  outside  her  religion.  By  her  word  and  power  all  men 
have  become  equal  before  the  law  of  the  State  and  the 
tribunal  of  God.  She  has  made  the  principle,  "  Do  as  you 
would  be  done  by,"  an  axiom  in  morals.  Ah,  yes  !  Chris- 
tianity underlies  and  is  the  inspiration  of  too  much  that  is 
good  and  valuable  in  the  State  of  Ohio  and  all  our  other 
States,  to  be  sneered  at,  or  denied  her  place  and  rights  in 
the  Commonwealth.  The  enemies  of  Christianity  could 
not,  if  they  would,  exorcise  her  spirit  from  the  laws,  insti- 
tutions, customs,  and  social  and  civil  life  of  America.  And 
if  the  American  State  is  to  liave  a  progressive  develop- 
ment, that  development  must  be  in  the  spirit  and  direction 
of  the  original  germ  of  its  natural  life.  To  cast  off  Chris- 
tianity by  law  and  adapt  itself  to  a  merely  natural  relig- 
ion— which  no  mortal  has  yet  satisfactorily  defined — or  to 
atheism  or  human  reason,  or  anything  beside,  would  be 
national  death.  The  leaven  of  Christianity  is  the  leaven 
that  must  still  work  in  the  lump.  The  salt  of  Christianity 
must  be  more  and  more  scattered  through  the  masses  of 
the  people,  and  give  savor  and  strength  and  life  to  our  in- 
stitutions. 

What,  then,  is  the  duty  of  the  State  in  respect  to  Chris- 
tianity ?  .  To  answer  this  question  we  must  first  look  at  the 
proper  province  or  sphere  of  the  State  as  such.  The  func- 
tions of  the  State,  through  her  legal  authority,  are  few  and 
simple.     With  us  the  national  defense  belongs  to  the  Gen- 


—  9  — 

eral  Government.  In  the  individual  State  the  repression 
of  vice  and  wrong  doing,  so  far  as  these  are  injurious  to 
the  community  and  the  protection  of  the  persons,  rights, 
liberties  and  property  of  all  citizens,  comprise  substantially 
its  duties.  The  character  of  the  laws  by  which  these  ends 
are  secured  is  largely  dependent  upon  the  condition,  views 
and  sentiments  of  the  people.  Practically,  the  laws  are 
the  creation  of  the  people,  properly  represented.  The 
people  govern ;  the  people  make  and  unmake  constitu- 
tions and  statutes.  They  do  this  by  the  expression  of  their 
will  through  majorities.  A  majority  is  stronger — if  not 
wiser — than  a  minority,  and  a  wise  minority  must  succumb 
to  an  unwise  majority.  This  is  fundamental  with  us.  The 
minority  may  regret  it,  may  lament  it,  but  if  they  are 
loyal  citizens,  loyal  Christians,  they  will  submit;  and  then 
by  all  fair  and  right  methods  do  their  best  to  turn  the 
scale. 

If,  now,  the  prevention  and  repression  of  crimes,  and 
the  security  of  the  persons,  liberties,  and  property  of  the 
inhabitants,  are  the  chief  ends  of  the  State  authority,  the 
question,  how  far  may  the  State  enter  into  the  domain  of 
education,  morality,  and  religion  to  promote  these  ends, 
becomes  one  of  great  importance.  The  matter  of  educa- 
tion 1  will  not  now  discuss. 

As  to  morality^  it  is  surely  the  interest  of  the  State  to 
see  to  it  that  honesty,  truth,  justice,  temperance,  self-re- 
spect, regard  for  the  rights  of  others,  and  the  like,  are  in- 
culcated in  the  youthful  minds  of  its  population.  To  en- 
graft morals  on  education,  to  some  reasonable  extent,  is 
the  dictate  of  National  and  State  self-interest.  As  to  relig- 
ion, the  question  is  difficult  in  a  free  Commonwealth  govern- 
ed by  majorities,  as  a  few  words  will  evince.  "We  may  divide 


—  10  — 

religion  into  first,  natural,  so-called,  and  second,  revealed, 
the  Christian.      As  to  the  former,  men  greatly  differ  about 
its  character,  sanctions  and  motives.    Some  would  consider 
idolatry,  and  Buddhism,  and  deism,  forms  of  natural  relig- 
ion.     Others  would  include  all  styles  of  infidelity  and  ma- 
terialism— indeed,   all    man-made   religions,   of    whatever 
kind — under  this  designation;  and  the  State  would  find  it 
an  exceedingly  difficult  thing  to  know  what  to  teach,  in  at- 
tempting to  teach  natural  religion.      As  to  revealed  relig- 
ion,  Christianity  claims  for  itself  an   exclusive  place,  as 
supernatural,  immutable,  divinely   attested  and  authenti- 
cated.    She  will  admit  into  her  fellowship   no   paganism, 
nor  Mohammedanism,  nor   superstition,  nor  any  humanly 
devised  religious  system  whatever,  and,  therefore,  whether 
the  State  shall  teach  Christianity,  either  in  its  distinctive 
morality  or  in  its  supernal  truths,  must  be,  to  some  extent, 
a  matter  of  public  opinion — of  majorities    and  minorities. 
Only,  let  me  here  say,  that  if  Christians  should  command 
a  majority  in  the  State,  it  is  contrary  to  the  genius  of  their 
religion  to  force  itself,  by  the  employment  of  legal  author- 
ity, of  State  power,  upon  the  people.     Christians  hold  that 
men  can  be  made  really  good  and  holy,  only  by  a  super- 
natural influence  working  through  the  supernatural  truths 
she  teaches.     And  one  thing  is  sure,  that  American  Chris- 
tians do  not  consider  the  State,  as  the  State  now  is,  and 
for  a  long  time  will  be,  a  very  competent  instructor  in  her 
high  and  sacred  verities.     They  prefer  to  select,  and  edu- 
cate, and  appoint,  and  oversee  the  teachers  of  the  blessed 
gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  for  themselves.      If,  through  the 
force  of  their  numbers   and  character,  they  can  have  the 
Bible  read  in  the  schools  ;  if  they  can  have  prayer  in   the 
name  of  Christ  appropriately  ofiered ;   if  they  can  have  a 


-11  — 

measure  of  the  morality  of  Christianity  ;  supreme  love  to 
God,  and  love  to  man  as  to  one's  self;  forgiveness  of  ene- 
mies and  injuries,  and  the  like,  taught;  if  they  can  have  a 
civil  Sabbath  appointed,  and  the  Bible,  as  far  as  may  be, 
made  its  oath  book;  and  if  they  can  have  men  and  women 
imbued  with  her  spirit  and  faithful  to  the  doctrines  and  the 
morality  of  Christianity,  in  place  and  power  in  the  hospit- 
als, and  asylums,  and  alms  houses,  and  reformatories,  and 
prisons  of  the  State,  they  will  rejoice  that  they  have  so 
far  molded  public  sentiment  as  to  command  such  results, 
and  they  will  do  what  they  can  to  maintain  the  ground 
they  have  secured  amid  the  varying  ebb  and  flow  of  politi- 
cal opinion  and  power. 

A  word  as  to  the  Bible  in  our  common  schools.  If  the 
question  were  the  introduction  of  the  Bible  into  these 
schools  ;  if  it  were  presented  to  us  as  a  new  problem  to 
be  settled  by  public  wisdom  ;  in  view  of  the  ciiaracter, 
opinions,  and  votes  of  large  numbers  of  foreign  born  citi- 
zens, as  well  as  of  other  influences  that  unite  with  them 
in  opposition  to  the  Bible,  the  question  might  be  canvassed 
in  full  and  free  discussion.  But  when  the  question  is,  not 
the  putting  in,  but  the  thrusting  out  of  that  book,  the  case 
is  immensely  different.  Even  a  spelling-book,  an  algebra, 
a  history,  or  a  geography,  can  not  be  put  out  of  a  school 
without  an  implied  condemnation  of  those  books  as  in- 
ferior or  unworthy.  And,  assuredly,  no  Christian  should 
ever  vote  to  exclude  the  book  he  claims  to  be  divine,  when 
once  it  has  obtained  place  in  the  education  of  the  State. 
No  Christian  should  even  seem  to  be  willing  to  put  a 
stigma  or  a  slight  upon  the  volume  of  life  and  salvation. 
Let  others  cast  it  out,  if  they  will,  from  the  schools  of  the 


—  12  — 

Commonwealth,  but  let  not  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ 
share  in  that  solemn  responsibility. 

As,  then,  the  State  can  not  enact  Christianity  as  the 
religion  of  its  citizens;  as  it  can  not  attempt  to  enforce 
obedience  to  her  supernal  morality ;  as  it  can  not  appoint 
her  sacraments  and  ordinances  as  the  worship  of  the  peo- 
ple, it  would  appear  that  the  simple  and  comprehensive 
duty  of  the  State  to  Christianity  is  to  leave  her  free — 
absolutely  free,  and  to  protect  her  in  that  freedom.  Chris- 
tians claim  thus  much  under  the  fundamental  charter  of 
the  nation,  independent  of  majorities  and  minorities;  and 
if  this  is,  not  only  in  name,  but  in  reality  granted,  thej'- 
ask  little  more. 

And  just  here  Christianity  is  at  a  great  disadvantage. 
We  are  all  well  aware  that  she  is  not,  and  never  has  been, 
popular  in  the  world;  as  for  instance,  Mohammedanism 
is  in  Arabia,  or  the  religion  of  Confucius  in  China.  The 
reasons  for  this  are  partly  inherent  in  her  very  nature, 
and  partly  arise  from  the  abuses  and  oppressions  and  per- 
versions that  have  been  practiced  in  her  name.  Chris- 
tianity is  no  inert,  torpid,  quiet  thing,  no  formal  external 
religion,  but  a  vital,  earnest,  urgent,  aggressive  power  that 
will  make  itself  felt  wherever  her  voice  can  be  heard,  or 
the  pressure  of  her  spiritual  energies  can  be  brought  to 
bear.  She  makes  for  herself  the  bitterest  enemies  and  the 
warmest  friends.  The  nearer  she  comes,  the  dearer  or  the 
deadlier  does  she  appear.  She  confronts  all  the  pride  and 
vanity — the  covetousness  and  envy,  the  dishonesty  and 
wrong — the  licentiousness,  vice,  and  intemperance,  the 
godlessness  and  selfishness  of  men,  and  goes  about  to  turn 
the  world  upside  down.  She  condemns  an  evil  glance  of 
the  eye,  as  adultery;  a  feeling  of  enmity,  as  murder.     She 


—  13  — 

drives  a  plowshare  through  human  nature.  Men  oppose 
Christianity  not  because  her  Founder,  her  morals,  her  doc- 
trines, her  purposes,  her  fruits,  are  bad,  but  because  they 
themselves  are  bad.  Her  ethereal  sword  pierces,  unvails, 
and  exposes  the  depths  of  the  human  heart,  and  men  will 
blunt  its  edge,  parry  its  thrusts,  and  wrest  it  from  the 
hands  of  Christians  if  they  can.  The  very  depravity  which 
the  State  is  forced  to  recognize  as  the  ground  of  its  func- 
tions, which  creates  the  necessity  for  restraining  and  re- 
pressing crime,  the  necessity  for  protecting  the  persons 
and  property  and  rights  of  the  people  themselves,  is  the 
basis  on  which  the  faith  and  facts  and  morality  of  Chris- 
tianity are  reared.  And  as  Christianity  intensifies  this  and 
traces  it  to  its  fontal  sources,  and  pronounces  man  degen- 
erate and  corrupt,  his  heart  a  fountain  of  evils,  of  all  the 
evil  in  the  world,  and  makes  regeneration  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  an  essential  prelude  and  condition  of  righteousness 
and  goodness,  it  is  not  surprising  that  men  will  do  all  they 
can  to  set  her  aside,  and  break  her  power  wherever  it 
exists.  And  then,  as  the  faith  and  facts  and  book  of  Chris- 
tianity are  out  of  the  order  of  nature,  as  they  teem  with 
miracles  and  signs  and  wonders,  as  they  reach  into  the  un- 
seen and  spiritual  worlds,  and  reveal  a  triune  personal 
God,  acting  by  unexampled  methods  of  sacrifice  and  sub- 
stitution and  efficacious  power  exerted  in  ways  utterly  in- 
comprehensible by  the  finite  mind,  it  is  not  at  all  strange 
that  the  pride  of  philosophy  and  science,  the  powers  of 
rationalism  and  materialism,  should  rise  in  their  might 
against  her.  She  is  a  stumbling-block  to  some  and  foolish- 
ness to  others,  an  unceasing  offense  to  unrenewed  human 
nature.  These  are  broad,  patent,  unquestioned  facts  about 
our  religion ;  the   basis   of  what   is,  by  many,  considered 


—  14  — 

an    irreconcilable    hostility,    which    nothing    but    the    ex- 
termination of  Christianity  can  bring  to  an  end. 

Now,  my  friends,  in  these  circumstances  the  danger  is 
not  a  fanciful  one,  especially  in  cities  and  States  where 
Christians  and  their  friends  are  in  a  minority,  that  the 
organic  law  of  the  nation  and  of  the  State,  which  secures 
their  religious  rights  and  liberties,  may  be  ignored,  under- 
mined, or  overridden.  Romanism  and  unbelief  have  al- 
ready, in  some  instances,  secured  municipal  and  State 
patronage  at  the  expense  of  Christianity.  Therefore  it  is 
that  we  seek  to  hold  the  civil  authority  strictly  to  its  funda- 
mental, though  sometimes,  perhaps,  difficult  duty,  of  the 
protection  of  all  the  rights  of  this  long  hated,  bitterly  per- 
secuted and  despised,  but  now  conquering  and  mighty  re- 
ligion. Her  enemies  have  reason  to  tremble  in  view  of 
her  advances;  but  no  lawful  power  exists  in  this  land  that 
can  arrest  her  progress  without  treason  to  the  rights  of 
conscience,  liberty  of  thought,  and  freedom  of  speech 
guaranteed  in  our  magna  charta.  She  anticipates  no  sud- 
den revolution  in  the  hostile  opinion  of  the  world  concern- 
ing her.  She  expects  opposition ;  she  expects  to  be  tra- 
duced and  ridiculed  and  misrepresented  and  argued  against- 
She  makes  no  objection  to  all  this;  it  can  do  little  harm 
except  to  those  who  falsify  and  contemn  her.  Give  her 
the  freedom  which  the  State  in  America  is  bound  to  give 
her,  and  she  fears  nothing  from  foes  without  or  foes  within. 
Never  since  the  crucifixion  of  her  Founder  has  she  had 
such  an  opportunity  as  she  now  has  over  this  broad  land — 
this  rising,  expanding,  vast  Republic.  If  the  Christians  of 
the  first  ages,  without  protection  from  the  State  for  their 
persons  or  property  or  religion,  in  constant  peril  of  confis- 
cation, exile,  torture,  and  death,  without  culture  or  schools 


—  15  — 

or  social  standing,  without  chapels  or  churches  for  three 
long  centuries,  if  they,  by  the  simple  force  of  their  super- 
nal religion,  conquered  and  supplanted  paganism  sustained 
by  the  power  of  ancient  liome,  and  sowed  the  seeds  from 
which  have  grown  modern  civilization  and  Christendom, 
what,  in  a  free  Commonwealth,  with  full  protection,  with 
State  and  National  institutions  already  impregnated  and 
largely  molded  by  her  influence,  with  immense  wealth  and 
high  position  and  great  moral  power,  with  a  strong  hold  on 
the  people  through  her  seminaries  and  academies  and  col- 
leges, through  her  culture  and  literature,  her  churches,  her 
Sabbath-schools  and  her  vast  benevolent  and  i)hilanthropic 
institutions,  with  her  roots  struck  deep  everywhere — 
what,  under  these  circumstances  with  her  King  in  heaven 
ruling  and  overruling  all  things  for  her,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  earth  with  His  subtle,  secret,  and  omnipotent 
energy  working  through  her,  and  blessed  prophecies  and 
promises  as  sure  to  come  to  pass  as  the  sun  is  to  rise  to- 
morrow morning,  what  may  not  a  free  Christianity  in  a  free 
State  accomplish  ? 

For,  though  there  is  what  may  be  considered  a  hard  side, 
a  repulsive  aspect  m  Christianity  to  human  nature  as  it  is, 
there  are,  notwithstanding,  elements  of  surpassing  attrac- 
tiveness and  power  and  blessedness  in  her,  which  all  can 
see  and  feel.  The  world  may  be  very  selfish  and  godless 
and  arrogant,  but  the  world  confessedly  is  full  of  mistakes 
and  failures,  of  variance  and  turbulence,  of  sickness  and 
sadness  and  tears,  of  deep  longings  for  something  Heaven 
only  can  give.  And  Christianity  has  done  more  to  rectify 
and  reform  and  beautify  and  comfort  and  elevate  and  ad- 
vance the  race  than  all  other  things  put  together.  From 
the  deeps  of  the  human  soul  the  cry  comes  up,  all  over 


—  16  — 

the  earth,  for  relief  and  renovation  and  liberty  and  right. 
Just  what  Christianity  proffers  and  promises,  man  wants 
and  man  must  have:  not  only  freedom  from  all  oppression, 
liberty,  equal  rights,  advancement,  elevation,  universal 
peace,  and  general  prosperity,  but,  also,  a  reconciled  God 
and  Father  in  heaven,  pardon,  acceptance,  goodness,  guid- 
ance, consolation,  hope  in  the  life  that  now  is,  and  fruition 
in  the  life  that  is  to  come.  Verily,  Jesus  Christ  is,  con- 
sciously or  unconsciously,  ''The  Desire  of  all  nations.'^ 
Christianity  is  not  a  cold,  offensive  dogma,  an  imprac- 
ticable morality;  but  take  her  all  in  all,  she  is  a  life  and  a 
power  adapted  to  men  and  affairs  and  circumstances 
throughout  the  world.  She  has  the  human  conscience  on 
her  side  with  the  hopes  and  fears  of  our  immortal  nature 
and  divine  relations,  and  she  exists  and  toils  only  to  make 
men  righteous  and  honorable,  and  happy  and  good  for 
time  and  eternity.  Thus  she  blends  her  supernatural 
revelations  with  a  blessed,  useful  and  self-denying  life,  and 
no  criticism,  no  dialectics,  no  science,  no  philosophy,  no 
infidelity  can  refute  a  religion  which,  in  a  world  of  sin  and 
selfishness,  and  wrong  and  sorrow  and  sickness,  makes 
men  holy,  cheerful,  upright,  just,  God-fearing  and  man- 
loving;  yea,  which  transforms  the  king  of  terrors  into  a 
messenger  of  mercy,  and  the  grave  into  a  resting-place 
for  their  dust,  till  the  trump  of  God  shall  awaken  the  dead 
and  introduce  them  into  the  glories  of  an  unending  heaven. 
Christianity  in  the  most  unfavorable  circumstances,  now 
oppressed  and  crushed  by  the  State,  and  now  in  an  unhal- 
lowed alliance  with  the  State — now  manacled  and  forbid- 
den to  lift  her  banner  among  the  nations,  and  now  turned 
into  an  instrument  of  tyranny  and  oppression,  her  super- 
natural revelations  used  for  human  ambition  and  avarice — 


—  17  — 

has  wrought  a  vast  and  blessed  work,  notwithstanding  all. 
And  in  these  last  times  she  has  crossed  the  ocean  and  taken 
up  her  abode  on  our  soil;  and  here,  as  we. have  seen,  she 
appears,  when  unvailed,  in  her  normal,  gracious  and  glo- 
rious character.  Separated  from  the  State,  and  indepen- 
dent of  denominational  peculiarities,  she  occupies  an 
immeasurably  superior  position  to  any  she  has  held  in  her 
antecedent  history. 

Leave  her  free,  do  not  trammel,  do  not  shackle  her  ;  give 
her  room  and  scope.  If  she  gains  victories,  let  no  civil 
power  take  them  away.  She  is  obedient  to  law  and  up- 
holds the  State,  as  does  nothing  else.  She  is  merciful  to 
her  foes,  for  in  opposing  her,  like  the  murderers  of  her 
King,  "  they  know  not  what  they  do,"  She  takes  no  un- 
due,  unfair  advantage  of  any  one.  The  weapons  of  her 
warfare  are  not  carnal,  earthly,  philosophical,  or  even 
moral.  Not  by  civil  enactments;  not  by  force  of  arms; 
not  bj^  legal  authority,  human  or  divine  ;  not  by  natural 
religion,  but  by  her  sheer  celestial  force  does  she  advance  : 
thus  and  thus  only  is  she  mighty  through  Grod  to  the  pull- 
ing down  of  the  strongholds  of  sin  and  Satan.  And  stand- 
ing in  this  j)ulpit,  as  a  minister  of  Christ,  in  the  name  of 
my  Supreme  Master,  I  tell  this  generation  of  statesmen, 
lawyers,  legislators,  constitution  makers,  judges,  magis- 
trates, civil  officers,  and  voters,  that  it  is  at  the  peril  of 
the  common  weal,  yea,  of  every  interest  dear  to  the  indi- 
vidual, the  family,  and  the  State,  that  they  attempt  to  re- 
press her  energies  or  trample  upon  her  benignant  spirit,  or 
buffet  her,  while  she  is  building  them  up  into  greatness 
and  glory. 

JMacaulay,  in  his  essay  on  Milton,  applying  a  beautiful 
fable  Ariosto   narrates,  tells  us  that  the  spirit  of  liberty 


—  18  — 

was  condemned  at  times  to  appear  in  the  form  of  a  foul 
and  poisonous  snake.  Those  who  traduced  her,  while 
wearing  this  form,  were  forever  excluded  from  participa- 
tion in  her  blessings.  But  to  those  who  beheld,  beneath 
this  disguise,  her  true  character,  and  honored  and  protected 
her,  she  afterward  revealed  herself  in  the  fullness  of  her 
native  beauty,  accompanied  their  steps,  granted  them  all 
their  wishes,  filled  their  houses  with  wealth,  made  them 
happy  in  love,  and  victorious  in  war.  Such,  says  he,  is  the 
spirit  of  liberty.  More  pertinent  yet  is  the  application  of 
this  fable  to  the  spirit  and  genius  of  Christianity.  By  an 
inevitable  law  in  history,  she  has  been  compelled  to  as- 
sume a  form  utterly  foreign  to  her  l^enign  quality.  The 
most  odious  garments  of  despotism  have  been  woven 
around  her,  and  the  instruments  of  cruelty  have  been 
placed  in  her  hand.  At  other  times  she  has  been  con- 
demned to  appear  a  hateful  superstition,  or  a  crouching 
slave.  Woe  to  the  people,  who  in  the  hour  of  her  invol- 
untary humiliation,  have  added  insult  to  her  dishonor,  and, 
spurning  her  from  their  presence,  have  failed  to  recognize 
in  her  a  celestial  form,  even  though  corrupted  by  man. 
Exclusion  from  a  share  in  the  riches  of  her  benefactions 
has  been  their  mournful  fate.  But  to  those,  who,  beneath 
the  disguise,  detect  her  comeliness,  and  stripping  olf  the 
vestments  she  abhors,  discern  a  form  of  heavenly  beauty 
and  a  countenance  radiant  with  celestial  grace,  she,  too, 
will  not  only  accompany  their  steps  and  grant  them  their 
wishes,  but  she  will  fill  their  houses  with  a  wealth  un- 
speakable, make  them  happy  in  a  love  that  is  divine,  and 
victorious  in  a  war  against  the  combined  powers  of  dark- 
ness and  of  sin. 

The  Christian  Church  is  determined,  with  God's  bless- 


—  19- 

ing,  to  preserve  America  a  Christian  State,  and  to  continue 
its  development  in  the  line  of  its  origin,  until,  as  the  grain 
of  mustard  seed,  it  shall  grow  to  a  mighty  tree,  overshad- 
owing the  earth,  and  under  whose  branches  all  people 
shall  find  a  safe  habitation.  This  supernatural  religion, 
descended  from  the  opened  heavens,  is  to  unite  itself  with 
all  that  is  natural,  and  with  the  individual,  the  State,  the 
nation,  and  the  world;  and  God  and  man,  heaven  and 
earth,  be  made  one  in  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth, 
where  righteousness  shall  dwell  forever,  and  sin  and  self- 
ishness, sorrow  and  sickness,  death  and  the  grave,  be  no 
more ;  and  the  golden  age,  when  gods  and  men  should 
exist  in  loving  fellowship,  of  which  ancient  poetry  and 
philosophy  dreamed,  shall  be  more  than  realized,  in  the 
reconciliation  of  divine  faith  and  human  reason,  of  reve- 
lation and  science,  of  the  cross  and  philosophy,  and  the 
true,  the  beautiful,  and  the  good,  in  all  things,  be  irradiated 
with  celestial  light  and  glory. 

For  lo  1  the  days  are  hastening  on, 

By  prophet  bards  foretold, 

When  with  the  ever-circling  years 

Comes  round  the  age  of  gold; 

When  peace  shall  over  all  the  earth 

Its  ancient  splendors  fling, 

And  the  whole  world  send  back  the  song 

Which  now  the  angels  sing — 

"Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good 
will  to  men!" 


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